Lovestruck
by SWGraysonPaladinOmniChick227
Summary: Several months after Ezra recovered from his wounds, he is sent on his first mission away from the crew. When he meets the girl he is to be paired with, OC Aristala, it's love at first sight. But when the two of them end up crashing their ship, leaving them stranded, will Sabine realize her feelings for Ezra reach beyond sisterly? Or will Aris and Ezra live happily ever after?
1. Trailer

**Trailer**

 **This is the first paragraph of Chapter 1: Stutter**

Ezra's electric blue eyes flicked between the members of the Ghost crew as they discussed plans with Commander Sato. Time had flown by since his injuries had healed and they were planning a mission. His mind began to wander away for a minute. He was sucked back in to the conversation when he heard his name and the words "solo mission" said in the same sentence.


	2. Chapter 1: Stutter

Chapter 1: Stutter

 **Me: Hello one and all and welcome to the sequel (ish) to Blasted! This story uses my OC Aristala Carista, AKA my Jedi alter-ego. Shortened to Aris in this story, Ezra finally gets a girlfriend! But will Sabine get jealous? What will happen when they get stranded during their mission? Well, you'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Disclaimer: Dragon owns nothing!**

* * *

Ezra's electric blue eyes flicked between the members of the _Ghost_ crew as they discussed plans with Commander Sato. Time had flown by since his injuries had healed and they were planning a mission. His mind began to wander away for a minute. He was sucked back in to the conversation when he heard his name and the words "solo mission" said in the same sentence.

"WHAT?! He's nowhere _near_ ready to go out on his own!" Kanan cried.

"I know. Which is why he won't be going out _completely_ alone. I'm pairing him with Aristala," Sato said, trying to calm the distressed Jedi.

"Who is Aristala?" he asked.

"She's a rebel girl Ezra's age. Her parents were freedom fighters, and she's one of the best pilots in the Outer Rim," Hera said.

"How do you know?" Sabine inquired.

"Any good rebel pilot knows that. If there was anyone I'd have fill in for me, it would be her. She once piloted a shuttle out of an asteroid field," she replied.

 **(Not so subtle foreshadowing :P)**

Kanan sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Kanan, dear, she's been fighting the Empire since she was nine years old. She's been a pilot since she was ten. Ezra will be perfectly safe," the Twi'lek said.

"So, where are they headed?" Zeb asked.

"A small planet in the far reaches of the Outer Rim. Not far from Hoth. They'd better bring their jackets. It's a chilly planet," Sato said.

"Ugh, Hoth. Place is a nightmare," Sabine said.

"Which is why that isn't their destination. They are to take the ship _Hawkwind_ in a day's time. Aris will be arriving in a short while. Good luck my friends," he replied.

Kanan glanced at Ezra. He looked worried.

Ezra bit his lip. His first mission away from the crew. He wasn't just worried. He was _**terrified**_.

* * *

A short while had been an understatement. Mere minutes after Sato had signed off, a medium sized shuttle docked with the _Ghost_. Ezra ambled down the corridor to the airlock. It slid open and two rebel soldiers stepped inside. Ezra froze when Aris stepped in. Kanan walked up behind him.

"Ezra? Hello?" he said, waving a hand in front of his Padawan's face. He whistled. "Ezra Bridger? Anyone in there?" he asked, shaking the teen's shoulders.

Ezra blinked and shook his head. "Huh?" he said, gaze falling back on Aris.

She was beautiful, with light brown hair and deep purple eyes. Her skin was tanned and her teeth were a pearly white.

* * *

 **(Note: I need a cover image. Make it Aris holding Ezra, leaned up against a ship. She must be wearing red, long pants and a salmon parka. A pale orange parka must be wrapped around her shoulders. Ezra will be covered in a soft reddish pink blanket and be asleep. They will be sitting in the snow. Image will be explained later. Good luck my fellow artists. Winner of this little competition will be followed and favorited, their art will be the cover image, and they will get a mention. Have fun!)**

* * *

"Oh boy," Kanan groaned.

Aris laughed, the sound sweet and filled with amusement. She was blushing.

"My name is Aristala Carista, but you can call me Aris. You must be Kanan and Ezra. Nice to meet you," she said, extending a hand to Kanan, then to Ezra.

Kanan knew the look on his friend's face, and he was afraid for him. Not only because it would most likely be a distraction on the mission, but because he feared Ezra would have his heart broken.

"Nice to meet you too Aris," Ezra said, his voice meek and uncertain.

Aris smiled, and Kanan could have sworn he saw Ezra melt. She turned and headed to the cockpit to speak with Hera. Neither saw her look longingly back at Ezra with an awestruck expression.

"Lothcat got your tongue?" Kanan teased.

"She's so pretty," Ezra breathed.

The older man grinned. "I know. But you better be careful. The last thing I need is a heartbroken Padawan. And don't you _dare_ let it distract you on your mission. Hear me?" he warned.

Ezra gulped and nodded. He headed after Aris, hoping to speak with Hera himself.

* * *

After speaking with the rest of the crew, Hera had gone with the soldiers to calibrate the _Hawkwind_. Ezra, meanwhile, had taken Aris on a tour of the _Ghost_.

"So, what planet are you from?" he asked her.

"Well, my dad is from Mandalore, and my mother is from Tatooine. I was born on Lothal, but we moved to Corellia when I turned four," she explained, smiling.

"Really? I'm from Lothal too!" he exclaimed.

"Cool! What city?" she inquired.

"Capital City. You?" he returned.

"Jhothal," she replied.

"This is awesome! I've never met another rebel from Lothal before!" Ezra said happily.

"Me neither! You know, you're pretty cool Ezra," she said with a grin.

"You're pretty too," he said. Then, his eyes widened when he realized what he had said. "I-I mean, you're really cool. N-not that you're not pretty, I-," he fumbled.

She chuckled and gave him a peck on the cheek. He stopped talking and smile dreamily. Aris smirked at him and giggled.

"You're _very_ handsome too Ezra," she said.

"I, uh, so, uh…huh?" he babbled.

She laughed at his confused state.

"Uh…thanks," he finally said, at a loss for words.

"You're welcome," she replied. "Hey, I'm tired of eating dinner on the _Hawkwind_ alone. How'd you like to join me?" she asked.

"Sure, uh, I guess," he answered.

"Great! I'll see you at seven," she said, turning and skipping away.

Ezra stood dumbfounded. Kanan walked by a minute later, observing the look on his face.

"What's the matter?" he inquired.

"I think I just got asked out on a date."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So, here's the first chapter. Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Disclaimer: Blueberry's got a girlfriend!**

 **Me: *sigh* Don't remind me. I'm gonna go pout now.**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	3. Chapter 2: Dinner

Chapter 2: Dinner

 **Me: Hi guys! Here's Chapter 2. I have up to 6 finished. Let's not waste any time talking. On with the show!**

 **Disclaimer: Dragon owns nothing!**

* * *

Ezra ran a sweaty, shaking hand through his hair. Should he wash it? Nah. He'd just done it two nights before, and it looked fine. Should he dress up? His jumpsuit wasn't exactly the best for a dinner with his crush, with several places in need of repair. He didn't know the protocol for this stuff. Kanan stepped up behind him.

"Need some help Padawan?" he asked.

The teen sighed, which turned into a groan. He collapsed onto the lower bunk and hung off it backwards, letting the blood rush to his head.

"Since when is getting ready for dinner so confusing?" he muttered.

The Jedi laughed. "Since it became a dinner date kiddo," he said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet. He ruffled his hair.

The younger boy groaned again, drawing a chuckle from his master. Finally, Kanan pulled out a folded up suit.

"It's just like the one you're wearing, but black and white. Cleaner, _and_ fancier," he said. Ezra took it, admiring the outfit.

"Thanks master," he said, setting it on the bed. With that, Kanan left him to finish getting ready.

* * *

Aris paced nervously in her room on the _Hawkwind_. Coming to a stop in front of her closet, she browsed the clothes. She had _no_ idea what to wear, so she opted for a red satin dress. She put it on and twirled, looking at her reflection in the mirror. It shined as the light bounced off of it. The lower skirt fluttered as she spun. She smiled, satisfied. She picked out a pair of red high heel boots, which reached up to her knees. She wore them everywhere and they looked old. She preferred to say well-loved. She made her way to the kitchen and sat down. She hadn't been sitting for more than five minutes when the door slid open. Ezra stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He flashed her his signature grin, ocean blue eyes sparkling. A lock of his hair was braided, while the rest fell loosely around his head, framing his face. She blushed.

"You look beautiful in that dress," he said, hands in his pockets. He ambled inside, admiring the long draping sleeves and flowing scarlet skirt. She smiled and closed her eyes **(like an anime character)**.

"Thanks!" she said.

He sat down across from her.

"So, tell me a bit about yourself. How old are you?" he asked, taking a bite of the warm pasta that she had made.

"Just turned fifteen a week ago. You?" she returned, taking a bite herself.

"Um…let's see…when is Empire Day?" he wondered aloud.

"In five months," she helped.

"I'll be sixteen in five months then," he said.

Aris frowned. "Y-your birthday is on Empire Day?" she said, more as a statement than a question.

The teen bit his lip. "Yeah. It's ah…also the day my parents were taken away so…not exactly the best day for me," he answered.

The girl took on an unhappy, pitiful look.

"How old were you? I was ten when my dad was killed," she questioned.

Ezra looked up from where his eyes had locked on his plate. He put his fork down, which he had been using to push the noodles around his plate. He turned so his side faced her and pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and burying his face.

""I was seven when the Empire took my parents away," he muttered, the sound muffled as he spoke into his leg.

"Oh…I'm sorry," she apologized, hoping she hadn't reminded of something he didn't want to remember.

"Not your fault," he murmured. She could see his shoulders tremble and knew he was crying.

Aris stood and walked over to him, sitting down in front of him. "Look at me Ezra," she said. She received no response. Not ready to be ignored, she grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. His eyes were pink and his cheeks were stained with tear tracks. They locked eyes for a good minute. She leaned closer. She hesitated, then kissed him. His eyes widened in shock before he returned the kiss, closing his eyes in peaceful bliss. They stayed that way until he pulled away, his lips tingling. He exhaled sharply and smiled shakily at her.

"Wow," he breathed.

"Yeah," she replied.

"We uh…we better finish eating," he said.

"You're right," she said, standing and returning to her seat. They remained silent for the rest of their meal. When they finished, they stood. Ezra kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.

"I'd better get back. Kanan will be expecting me. I'll see you tomorrow," he reminded her.

She nodded. Before he left, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer, kissing him. She pulled away a minute later and shoved him towards the door. He tripped through the doorway, which slid shut behind him. Aris suppressed a laugh. Ezra simply walked back to the _Ghost_.

* * *

Kanan met him at the airlock. Noting the look on his Padawan's face, he smiled.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"We, uh, huh?" the boy stumbled.

"First kiss Padawan?" the older man inquired.

"Uh huh," Ezra murmured.

Kanan laughed. He didn't seem like it, but he was proud of him. "To bed with you!" he ordered, heading off to tell Hera.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Well, that just happened. YAY FOR EZRA!**

 **Disclaimer: And bad for Dragon's crush.**

 **Me: Hey! You said you'd stop with that.**

 **Disclaimer: *cackles evilly***

 **-SWMCDC227**


	4. Chapter 3: DIS

Chapter 3: D.I.S.

 **Hey guys! Sup! Sorry no one has come to visit. Apparently they're busy with S2.**

 **Disclaimer: Yeah. I was watching Brothers of the Broken Horn with her and she squealed when Blueberry did that move she had him do in VOF.**

 **Me: I did not SQUEAL. It was a manly shout.**

 **Disclaimer: Sure Dragon…suuurrre.**

 **Me: Just do your damn job.**

 **Disclaimer: Dragon owns nothing.**

* * *

Aris tightened the belt on her red pants and tucked in her long-sleeve crimson shirt. She put her salmon colored parka on her seat. She heard she doors to the cockpit hiss open. Standing in the doorway was Ezra, wearing his backpack and clutching a pale orange parka in his hand. He had said his farewells to the crew.

"So, you ready to do this?" she asked.

"As I'll ever be," he replied, flopping down in the seat next to her.

"Then let's go," she said, grabbing the controls. She pressed a button and the _Hawkwind_ detached from the _Ghost_. Ezra watched with a fleeting glance as they moved further and further away from the ship he called home. The stars turned into streaks as they jumped into hyperspace. No one realized that the course they were on would take them close enough to Hoth to be on a collision course with the asteroid field on the outer edge of its atmosphere.

* * *

Ezra reclined in the chair a while later, telling stories.

"So then, I hear this voice, right? And he asks me all these questions. He won't tell me his name. Just says that he's a guide. I look up, and there's these lights floating around in front of me," he said.

"Wow…go on, don't leave me hanging!" Aris demanded, enthralled with his latest story.

"So I followed it. I ended up in another room with three doors. I chose the one in the middle-," he started.

"You picked the middle door!? That's like, the default choice in EVERY book!" she complained.

"Well I didn't really know protocol for this stuff, and I haven't taken the time to read a book since I was six! Anyway, everything goes all mystical, and he asks me more questions, like why I wanted to become a Jedi," he explained.

"What did you say?" she inquired.

"At first I said that Kanan believed I could, and that I wanted revenge on the Empire. He asked me if Kanan had taught me that revenge was the Jedi way. I said that he was wrong. Kanan is a great master. Then I told him I wanted to protect my friends, and how it made the others feel when they help people. How they feel alive," he returned.

"It really does make you feel that way," she mused.

"Then, he told me that I might become a Jedi after all. A blue light floated down in front of me. Kanan said it was a Kyber crystal. We returned to the ship and the others gave me parts to help me built my lightsaber. It took weeks, but I finally finished it and well…," he reached down and grabbed it off his belt. "Here it is," he handed it to her. She turned it over in her hands, running her fingers along the grooves in the hilt. She admired the fine craftsmanship.

"It's beautifully made. You know, I made my blaster too," she said.

"Really? How?" he asked.

"Well, I was on a mission with my mother and another rebel around Sabine's age and-,"

A blaring alarm sounded, successfully ending her story. The lights flashed red.

"What the…what is that?" Ezra exclaimed.

"A collision warning? But…of course! Hoth is surrounded by asteroids!" Aris cried. "How could I have forgotten?" she asked herself.

She pulled them out for hyperspace too late. She ship rocked violently as they struck an asteroid. Aris took hold of the controls. Ezra tried to send a distress call to the fleet.

" _Ghost_ this is _Hawkwind_! We're kind of in trouble here!" he yelled.

" _Ezra where are you?_ " Hera's voice came over the comm.

"We're-," the ship rocked again and the lights and comm went out. "Aris get us out of here!"

"I would love to! But I have to tell you something. I'm not flying this ship anymore. That last one got the engines! We're dead in space!" she yelled.

They both screamed as another asteroid struck the ship, knocking them into the gravitational pull of the planet. The windshield turned into fire. Ezra's temple struck the dash and his world turned into blackness. He never felt the shard of glass that embedded itself in his left calf or the heavy metal panel that fell on top of him.

* * *

Hera and Kanan were relaxing in the common room when Chopper rolled in.

"Distress call?" Hera wondered.

Chopper projected it. It was an image of Ezra, a panicked look on his face.

"Ghost _this is_ Hawkwind _! We're kind of in trouble here!_ " he shouted. They heard a loud crash and saw the image fizzle for a moment.

"Ezra where are you?" Hera asked urgently.

" _We're-_ ," another loud bang and the image vanished and the audio turned to static.

"Gah! Chop, triangulate where that signal came from!" she ordered.

The droid beeped and grumbled.

"What do you mean the signal's gone?!" she yelled.

"It sounded like they collided with something," said an alarmed Sabine. "An asteroid maybe. But there are asteroid fields all over that sector," the worry was ostensible in her voice.

Kanan bit his lip. This would be no easy task. But his Padawan was in trouble and so help him he would find those kids if it killed him.

* * *

Aris opened her eyes. Her vision blurred in and out of focus. Finally her world stopped spinning. She peered around her. There was fire everywhere. She saw her bag and grabbed it along with her parka. She saw something orange under a large metal sheet. She narrowed her eyes when she saw a white symbol on it. She suddenly realized that it wasn't a something…

It was some _one_.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: If Ezra got hurt this much in the show, Kanan would lock him up for his own good. But who doesn't love a good Ezra whump story!?**

 **Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure no one.**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	5. Chapter 4: Shiver

Chapter 4: Shiver

 **Me: Finally got someone!**

 **Ahsoka: I really should be looking into Vader.**

 **Me: Don't worry, we all know he's Anakin.**

 **Ahsoka: Oh. Okay.**

 **Me: Oh my gosh, I'm soooo sorry!**

 **Ahsoka: Don't worry about it. It's fine. Whatever happened to him, I know that he isn't Anakin anymore. Anakin died the day Darth Vader was born.**

 **Me: Why does** _ **everyone**_ **say that? Anakin died when they hired that** _ **horrible**_ **actor in Attack of the Clones. God it was so cringeworthy.**

 **Ahsoka: Attack of the huh?**

 **Me: Oh nothing. Disclaimer?**

 **Disclaimer: Dragon owns nothing except Aris and the** _ **Hawkwind**_ **, even though the name** _**Hawkwin** **d**_ **is from the Alcatraz vs series.**

* * *

Aris crawled over the bits of metal and shards of glass that littered the ground. She leaned on the panel with all her strength and pushed it off of her boyfriend. She didn't bother checking for a pulse, as she knew the cockpit could, and most likely would, explode at any second. She grabbed their backpacks and Ezra's parka, slipping it on him quickly. She slung the bags over her shoulder and lifted Ezra in her arms. Her adrenaline gave her strength twice her capacity, as Ezra weighed at least 120 pounds and she weighed only 100 with no muscle whatsoever. She carried him through the open windshield and broke into a run. She made it fifteen feet before the explosion knocked her off balance. She felt Ezra tumble away from her into the snow and she fell face first onto the ground. She pushed herself up and looked around. The older teen lay a couple yards away with his back facing her. She dragged herself over to him, her bruised ribs protesting violently. She rolled him onto his back and gently touched his throat. A moment passed where nothing happened. She nearly passed out in relief when she felt a light pulse flutter beneath her fingers. A small cloud of frost blew from his mouth and she knew he was breathing, too. Only then did she allow herself to look back at her ship. Or, more accurately, what was _left_ of her ship. The cockpit had been reduced to a mass of twisted burning metal. The rest, however, looked salvageable. She turned her attention back to Ezra, assessing his wounds. Blood trickled down the side of his face from a gash on his right temple. More leaked from his left calf, and she saw a glint of sunlight reflecting off a shard of broken glass. She pulled her first aid kit out of her backpack and rummaged through the various supplies. She found a pair of tweezers, medical scissors, bandages, rags, medical tape, disinfectant, and some other necessities. There was also rubbing alcohol and a needle and thread.

"Perfect. Everything I need," she said.

She ran her hands along his chest. Ezra groaned and she felt something shift beneath her touch. She almost screamed in exasperation. He most likely had a broken rib, which was bad news. Broken ribs meant danger of a punctured lung, and she didn't have the material to fix that. His lips were turning a pale blue in the cold. She figured hers were too though, as her face was feeling numb. She shook her head and grabbed an alcohol wipe and cleaned his head wound. She wiped the blood off his face and grabbed a rag. She poured disinfectant on it and rubbed it on the cut. Ezra flinched unconsciously but otherwise made no other moves. She examined it carefully. It was at least an inch and a half long and not too deep. It still needed stitches. She looked back at the ship, then back at Ezra. If she left him out here, he would be a sitting duck for the predators that lived on the icy tundra. If she didn't salvage the ship, Ezra might not live through the night. She stood and ran towards the wreckage. She threw snow on the flames and put out as much fire as she could. She climbed through the hole in the front of the ship and began sifting through the rubble. There was a broken com-link on the floor, which she grabbed and put in her backpack. She found nothing else, so she moved on to the kitchen. She found a few ration packs, along with a couple water bottles and various snacks. Once she had picked it clean, she walked to her room. She found a lantern, matches, and a blanket that her mother had made her when she was seven. She bunched up the pink fabric and breathed in deeply. No matter how much you washed it or how much soot was on it, which wasn't that much, you could never get the smell of her home out of it. Not that she wanted to. The last room was the med-bay. Most of the supplies had been spilled onto the floor, ruined, except an oxygen tank, a few bottles of painkillers, antibiotics, and a few vials of morphine. She grabbed all of them, and made her way out of the ship. She returned to Ezra and sat down next to him. She fixed the oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, turning it on. There wasn't much left, and it would probably only last an hour. She looked through the first aid kit and found an empty syringe. She knew her luck wouldn't last her long though. She filled the syringe with morphine and looked at his wounds. She plunged the liquid into his arm and he flinched again, eyes twitching. He resettled however. She began a moment later, starting with the wound on his head. Her hand trembled, but she held it steady. It took only three stitches, with Ezra making little to no movement. She wrapped the area in bandages, opting for a patch bandage. There were three different types, a rolled up ace bandage, butterfly bandages, and more patches. She grabbed the medical tape, adhering the bandage to his temple. She grabbed the tweezers, alcohol, and disinfectant, repeating the process of cleaning the wound. Ezra hissed as this time she poured the disinfectant directly into the wound. The wind whipped through her high ponytail, making her shiver. She reached back and pulled it out, letting her hair fall loosely around her neck. It would make her warmer this way. She grabbed the glass with the tweezers and pulled. Ezra groaned as the shard was extracted from his leg. She finally got it, throwing it to the side. She poured more disinfectant into the wound, drawing a gasp from the unconscious boy. She stitched the deep cut, which took five stitches, and wrapped in a bandage. She breathed a tired sigh. The wind blew violently around her, and she looked up to see dark clouds rolling in the sky. Storms were bad business on Hoth. If they stayed out in this weather, they were goners for sure. She looked around for shelter and spotted a large mountain of ice and snow. A cave was carved in the side.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of dialogue this chapter. This was mostly a chapter centered for you guys to see how much Aris cares for Ezra, ignoring the fact that her precious ship was destroyed and that she might possibly be injured to take care of him. She is also a veteran, having worked in triage before on her home planet of Corellia with her mother for the rebels.**

 **Ahsoka: I like her.**

 **Me: You only like her because she's like you were that one time you saved Anakin after that crash.**

 **Disclaimer: She's kinda right.**

 **Ahsoka: So what? *grumbles indistinctly***

 **-SWMCDC227**


	6. Chapter 5: Shelter in the Snow

Chapter 5: Shelter in the Snow

 **Me: Sup y'all? I got Hera!**

 **Hera: So, how are we gonna find them?**

 **Me: Can't say. It's a spoiler if I do. I can say that shortly after you find him, the story takes a huge climate change. ;)**

 **Hera: Oh, okay. So, did you see me fly that B-Wing in "Wings of the Master?" Man that was fun. And the** _ **Phantom**_ **has a hyperdrive now! I'm sure you'll use that later in another story.**

 **Me: Yep! I'm already planning for an Aris POV for that episode where she goes with you guys and finds out that Ezra is going to do the run with Kanan. Or maybe one for "Brothers of the Broken Horn" where she finds out that Ezra went off on his own and tells the crew.**

 **Hera: Well, I'm looking forward to it.**

 **Disclaimer: Dragondoesn'townStarWarsRebelsonlyArisand** _ **Hawkwind**_ **okaybye!**

* * *

Aris looked toward the cave and shook Ezra by the shoulder.

"Ez? Can you hear me? Come on it's time to wake up," she said.

Ezra's eyes fluttered and they opened lazily. "Aris?" he murmured.

"Come on, you gotta get up," she told him gently, helping him to his feet. He held tight on her neck as she picked up the oxygen tank. He yelped and jerked against her, leg burning. She helped him limp to the cave. She let him lean on a wall while she set down the tank and carried the rest of the supplies around the corner into the depths of the cavern. She put them down and turned back to see Ezra sliding down the wall onto the ground. She ran over and helped him back up, taking him and the tank back into the safe area. She sat him down on the floor. He hissed and she knew the morphine had worn off already, most likely having been expired. She took out the painkillers and gave them to him.

"Take one. It will help with the pain," she ordered.

He opened his mouth to protest, but a glare from Aris shut him up.

"At least let me eat something first," he begged.

She sighed and tossed him a ration pack. As he began to open it, a gust of wind blew violently through the cave and sent a shiver down their spines. Ezra's teeth chattered.

"It's s-s-so c-cold," he stuttered.

"I kn-know. Y-you'll be fine," she stumbled over her words. She knew Ezra had it worse, as his pants were torn from the shard and his clothes were thinner to begin with. She set down the lantern in between them and struck one of the matches she'd found, lighting it. They huddled closer.

He finished opening the pack and he took off the oxygen mask, eating like a hungry Lothwolf. In minutes, the food was finished.

"Okay. Now take them. And these," she said, handing him a couple antibiotic pills and a bottle of water. He tossed the medication in his mouth and drank the water. She helped him get the oxygen mask back on and let him breathe in the sweet, precious fresh air. She felt the wind pick up and the cave was once again filled with the sound of whistling air. Ezra trembled and his eyes drooped tiredly as the drugs took effect, making him sleepy.

"Aris…," he murmured.

"Shh…go to sleep," she whispered.

Ezra complied, his eyes slipping closed in slumber.

Aris smiled and she grabbed his backpack, looking for his tools. She found them and began to work on the com-link she'd found in the cockpit. The wires were shot, but she used the pliers to tie them back together. A burst of static filled the cave before fizzling out.

* * *

Kanan looked up when the com-link gave a burst of static. He pulled it off his belt as the static fizzled to silence. He stood and looked at it.

' _Please God let them be okay.'_ He thought.

* * *

Aris looked at the device hopefully, frowning when it fell silent. At least it was progress. She continues working on the wires, jerking back each time there was a stray spark that tried to shock her. Each time a wire was repaired, there was a burst of static. Finally, after spending nearly two hours working, all the wires were tied together. She pressed the button on the side.

" _Ghost_ , this is Aris of team _Hawkwind_. Do you copy?" static, then Kanan.

" _Aris? Ezra? Is that you? If it is, we're only getting static,_ " he said.

She sighed. Then, she had a thought. A soldier had done this once while he was trapped in a cave and alerted her family to his presence. She hadn't understood then. Her father taught her Morse code that night, how to say S.O.S. She pressed the button three times rapidly, then three times more slowly, then rapidly thrice more. She repeated the signal over and over.

* * *

Kanan jumped to his feet once more as more static filled the common room. Sabine, Zeb, and Hera were with him this time.

"Aris? Ezra? Is that you? If it is, we're only getting static," he said to whoever may have been listening.

Three quick bursts sounded from the com. Three slower, then another three quick. The signal was repeated multiple times.

"That sounds like an S.O.S!" Zeb told them.

"But how can we be sure it's from Aris?" Hera asked.

"She has a point," Sabine remarked.

"Besides, even if it is, we have no way of tracking that signal if their com-link is fried," the Twi'lek said, putting a gloved hand on Kanan's shoulder.

He sighed. "I guess you're right," he turned his attention to the com in his hand. "Aris, Ezra, if that _is_ you, we're trying to find you. We're exhausting every resource. Hang in there," he said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

* * *

Aris looked happily at the com-link. Even if they couldn't speak directly with the crew, they had at least made contact.

" _Aris, Ezra, if that_ is _you, we're trying to find you. We're exhausting every resource. Hang in there,_ " Kanan's voice came over the com.

She gave off bursts of static that she knew meant thank you.

* * *

"Thank you! They said thank you!" Zeb exclaimed.

"We _have_ to find them," Sabine said.

* * *

Aris smiled and out the com-link away. She heard shuffling from the other side of the lantern. She looked to see Ezra raising his head up off the floor.

"Aris? What's going on?" he asked.

"I managed to make contact with the crew. They can't hear us, only static. But it's at least contact," she told him.

He nodded, wincing in pain as his ribs protested the movement.

"Here," Aris said, handing him more painkillers.

"But I-," he was cut off by the shaking of the ground.

Aris drew her blaster. "Shh…," she said, putting a finger to his lips. There was a low growl. She tossed Ezra his backpack, and he shoved the pills inside, along with his water. The ground shook as though there were an earthquake.

"Ezra, run. RUN!" she yelled.

Ezra took off the oxygen and stood, despite the pain it caused. The two began to run for their lives…

Straight into a Wampa.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: *whistles* I first saw Empire Strikes Back last summer, around July and August, and Wampas scared the hell out of me. That poor Taun Taun.**

 **Hera: What Taun Taun?**

 **Me: Oh, oh nothing. Heh heh… (Don't reveal the future. Don't reveal the future.)**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	7. Chapter 6: A Duo Divided

Chapter 6: A Duo Divided

 **Me: Hi people of the interwebs! I has brought le Lothcat!**

 **Lothcat: Meow!**

 **Disclaimer: *deadpan* Really?**

 **Me: Well, she was the best I could get on short notice!**

 **Disclaimer: *sigh* Dragon owns nothing but Aris and** _ **Hawkwind**_ **. *walks off grumbling in exasperation***

* * *

"RUN! I'll cover you!" Aris yelled.

"The storm Aris!" Ezra cried, pointing at the flurry of white outside.

"Would you rather be eaten or freeze to death? There's no time to argue! Get out of here!" she shouted over the wind.

Ezra slipped past the Wampa, ducking to avoid being clobbered by its huge arm. He stumbled through the snow, ignoring the pain lancing through his leg and up his chest. He could barely see anything, and his headache didn't help. He moved with the wind, as fast as he could. He was freezing. The parka did little to shelter him from the relentless downfall of ice that seemed to want nothing more than to kill him. Soon, he could no longer see the mountain through the thick, gray fog, created by the storm. He could feel his leg growing weak. Without warning, he tripped over a chunk of hardened ice and fell into the crunchy snow. His leg was now alit with pain, and he could feel blood soak his bandage. He'd most likely torn the stitches. He convulsed, curling into a ball and shaking. **(Like Zuko in the Avatar finale after being hit by lightning.)**

' _I'm going to die out here,'_ he thought. The world blurred and his vision ebbed, edged with gray.

' _I'm sorry Kanan. I failed you,'_ was his last thought before the warmth of unconsciousness took him. Emotions flowed from him through the Force.

* * *

Kanan chewed his thumbnail for what felt like the millionth time since the first distress call. They'd been able to narrow the search down to four asteroid fields within the sector. Two were out in space, one surrounded a desolate planet, and the last drifted outside of Hoth. Hera was fiddling with something, and Ahsoka had joined them. Suddenly, a wave of emotions swept the room. Fear, pain, and hopelessness. For the crew, who were less than experienced in the Force, it passed quickly, leaving them confused but unbothered. For Kanan and Ahsoka, it lingered. It took the Togruta a moment to decipher, but Kanan picked up on it instantly.

"Ezra," he murmured.

"Huh?" Hera said.

"That wave, it was Ezra!" he exclaimed.

"Do you know where it came from?" Ahsoka asked him.

He bit his lip. "I…I can't say. Give me some time to meditate. I'll try to make contact with him. I don't know why I didn't before," he said. He turned and headed for his room. He sat down on his bed and closed his eyes. Reaching out through the Force, he grasped desperately for his Padawan's Force Signature. It was clouded and weak. His vision turned white before a blurry image appeared. He saw an orange blob surrounded by gray and white. The image cleared and he saw his student lying in the snow, red soaking his leg, which was covered in a bandage. He was unconscious and freezing to death. His lips were a terrifying shade of blue and he was pale as the snow he laid in. Kanan's eyes snapped open and he stood, running for the common room.

"Hoth! They're on Hoth!" he yelled.

Hera bolted to her feet and ran to the cockpit, throwing the hyperdrive in gear and setting the coordinates for the frozen planet.

* * *

Aris fired upon the great beast. It roared in pain. She fired once again, striking it on the arm. It suddenly swung on her and slashed its claw across her cheek, knocking her to the ground. She felt a sticky liquid trickle down her face. She screamed and dodged another swing. She fired three times, nailing it in the face. It stumbled and fell with a groan. It twitched and lie still. She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, panting heavily. She touched her cheek lightly and her fingers came away red. She bit her lip and looked out into the snow. She sighed and sat down, removing her pack and pulling out the first aid kit. She would be of no use to Ezra frozen to death. She grabbed the disinfectant and the morphine. She knew it would make her tired, but it was better that having the wound get infected. She plunged the needle into her arm, holding back a scream. She cleaned her wound and stitched it. She taped a bandage on her face. Sure enough the painkiller caused her eyes to grow heavy and she fell against the wall of the cave, asleep.

* * *

Ezra's eyes slid open. Everything hurt. He pushed forward and stood up. He tried to walk, and luck was for once on his side. The wind blew forward, working with him and moving him faster. He caught sight once again of the mountain, and a cave carved into the side. Though it wasn't the same cave. He moved towards it. He dove inside, sliding painfully on the ice. He may be cold, but at least he was sheltered.

* * *

The _Ghost_ circled above Hoth.

"That storm makes it impossible for us to land," Hera said.

Kanan sighed and banged his fist on the table.

"Gah! We're so _close_! I can feel it," he grumbled.

Ahsoka put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hang in there. It'll blow over soon," she soothed.

He nodded. He just had to be patient, like his master taught him.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: And there we go. Shorter that the most recent chapters, but I like it! This was originally chapter 5. I lengthened it after typing chapter 4.**

 **Lothcat: Meow!**

 **Me: You got that right.**

 **Lothcat: Mew! Purr, meow!**

 **Me: Oh if only you knew the half of it.**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	8. Chapter 7: A Bond That Can't Be Broken

Chapter 7: A Bond That Can't Be Broken

 **Me: Aaaaannnnnnd….we're live.**

 **Disclaimer: Hello and welcome to Dragon's land of despair because Ezra has a girlfriend and it's not her.**

 **Me: Hey! That wasn't your line!**

 **Disclaimer: *snickers* Fine. Dragon owns nothing. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!**

* * *

Ezra curled up and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. His ribs hurt like hell, and he was sick to his stomach because of the nausea it caused. He pulled out the painkillers Aris had handed them earlier, which he'd stuck in the pocket of his parka. Sure, he'd taken drugs before, both willingly and not, and he knew what they would do, having taken them earlier. He didn't want to sleep, but he knew that if he didn't, the pain would kill him for sure. He didn't think about it too much, he simply tossed them into his mouth and took a swig of cold water from his water bottle. He shivered more violently for a moment, then began to calm as the medication took effect.

* * *

Kanan sat on his bed, tracing his Padawan, which was hard through the haze of the storm. The same thing happened as before. He saw a blurred image of an orange blob, which was trembling. The image focused into the shivering form of the young rebel.

' _Ezra?'_ he tried.

He saw Ezra sit up straighter. He didn't looked panicked or in pain, just…tired?

' _Master?'_ he sounded slurred.

' _Are you okay?'_ he asked.

' _Mmhm. Tired,'_ he said.

' _Why?'_ the older man questioned.

' _Painkillers. M-makin' me sleepy,'_ the teen murmured, closing his eyes.

' _Ezra, stay with me, okay? Don't go to sleep,'_ Kanan ordered.

' _Mmm…'ll try,'_ Ezra replied, forcing his eyes open. Try he did, but in vain. The boy's eyes slipped closed once again and he sighed, sleep dragging him under.

Kanan let out a sigh of his own. He tried to wake him, but to no avail. So, he simply focused on keeping Ezra as warm as possible, letting his comforting presence surround him through the Force.

* * *

 ***Several Hours Later***

* * *

Ezra awoke to silence. The ground suddenly began to shake. He grabbed his backpack, fearing another Wampa. Then, an ice spike fell in front of him, impaling the ground. He gasped, realizing that the cave was collapsing, due to what he guessed was an earthquake. He grabbed his lightsaber off the ground and ran for the exit. He dove into the snow, and it crunched beneath him. He heard a loud noise and rolled over to see that he'd made it just in time. The entrance was buried in snow. He could sense the tremors that still shook the ground beneath the surface. He breathed a sigh of relief and pushed himself to his feet, which should have brought pain…until he remembered Aris. She might have been caught too. It was only then that he realized he was standing outside and not being blown around like a piece of paper. He began to move in the direction he assumed was the right direction, stumbling through the heavy snow. He saw a semi-familiar sight, praying it was the right mountain, and moved towards it.

"ARIS!" he shouted.

"Ezra!" the voice was faint.

He extended his hand and closed his eyes, putting his trust in the Force and letting it guide him. He could see all around, and it looked like a photo negative. **(Sort of like Clark or Kara's X-Ray Vision but more Force-y.)** He saw a figure digging at a wall of snow, and could only assume it was Aris. He began to run, shedding the backpack and the heavy coat as he drew closer to move faster. He skidded to a stop in front of the collapsed cave and began to dig, making his fingers cold. Finally, there was a tiny hole through which he could see her. Her lips were a pale blue, but she was otherwise alright.

"Stand back!" he told her.

She moved backwards and he stabbed his lightsaber through the snow, melting a hole for her to climb through. She rushed into his arms and he rubbed her back shakily.

"Oh thank the Force," he whispered, burying his face in her hair.

"I've never been so happy to see anyone in my whole life," she murmured.

"Me neither," he said, pulling away.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he lied. "Let's go."

He stifled a cough and began to move. He picked up the abandoned jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"But you'll freeze," she protested. He gave her puppy-dog eyes and she shut up. He grabbed the backpack too.

* * *

Kanan stood from the bed at the sound of a door opening.

"The storm cleared. It's safe to head down now," Hera reported.

"Let's go," he said.

* * *

Ezra was tired, hungry, and freezing. Not to mention the fact that the painkillers had worn off and his adrenaline rush was gone. He stumbled as they neared the wreckage of the _Hawkwind_ , and Aris caught him, turning him around and resting him against the side of the ship. He coughed and moaned. She laid a hand on his forehead. He felt like an icicle. She pulled her mother's blanket out and wrapped it around him. He instinctively curled into it, shivering. She pulled him into her lap and began to pet his hair. His adrenaline had quickly turned to exhaustion, which gave way to pain and sickness. He suddenly broke into a coughing fit, and she had to sit him up to help him breathe. She rubbed his back as he practically hacked up his lungs. When it ended, he was left only half-conscious. He slumped against her shoulder, head lolling lazily on her chest. She soothed him with her gentle touch, making little circular movements on his back as she cradled him in her arms. She began to sing a quiet lullaby her father used to sing to her when she would fuss, rocking him back and forth.

' _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where they strung up a man, they say who murdered three. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree._

' _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where dead men called out, for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree._

' _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree._

' _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of hope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree._

' _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree._

' _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where they strung up a man, they say who murdered three. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree._

 _Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where dead men called out, for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met, at midnight in the hanging tree.'_

Ezra had fallen lax against her. He was breathing evenly, but there was a distinct wheeze behind it. She continued to hold him and hum to herself. Her eyelids began to droop and she slipped away. No less than five minutes later, the _Ghost_ landed almost 150 miles away.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: So, that was a long chapter.**

 **Ezra: Yep!**

 **Me & Disclaimer: AAAAAHHHHHHH!**

 **Me: Oh, hi Ez.**

 **Ezra: Hey.**

 **Me: Great job getting captured yesterday.**

 **Ezra: *blushes* That was** _ **not**_ **my fault!**

 **Me: It never is, is it!? *giggles maniacally***

 **-SWMCDC227**


	9. Chapter 8: Found

Chapter 8: Found

 **Me: So...Ezra. Shouldn't you be training with Kanan?**

 **Ezra: Shouldn't you be doing homework?**

 **Me: *glares* Touché.**

 **Disclaimer: *turns on "Kiss the Girl" and runs* Dragon owns nothing!**

 **Me: *chases* I'M GONNA KILL YOU DISCLAIMER!**

* * *

Kanan stepped into the snow, thick boots sinking slightly. They all had picked up heavy winter gear before arriving at Hoth. They all carried a survival pack, with blankets, a first aid kit, and a com-link.

"We split up. Groups of two," Hera said.

"I'll go with Kanan," Sabine said.

"I'll stick with Hera," Ahsoka told them.

"Oh great. I'm stuck with this rust bucket," Zeb complained.

Chopper grumbled angrily and shocked him.

"Argh! That's it, get over you little-," the Lasat yelled.

" **BOTH OF YOU! STOP!** " Hera shouted.

The two froze.

" **THIS IS NOT A TIME TO GOOF OFF! EZRA AND ARIS ARE OUT THERE INJURED AND MOST LIKELY FREEZING TO DEATH, AND OUR MISSION IS TO FIND THEM! IF YOUR BICKERING** **GETS IN THE WAY, YOU'RE STAYING HERE, AND YOU'LL BOTH BE CLEANING THE SHIP BY YOURSELVES FOR** **THE NEXT YEAR**! **UNDERSTAND!?** " the Twi'lek warned angrily.

Zeb gulped and Chopper shook.

"Yes ma'am," Zeb muttered.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am!" he exclaimed louder.

 **(And the award for getting this shit done goes to: Hera!)**

The two scurried off. The others split into their respective groups. Kanan watched for landmarks, such as caves. Snowflakes began to fall, lightly this time, sticking to his hair and coat. He jogged towards the mountains. He put his gloved hand on the icy wall and let the Force flow through him. He could see the collapsed cave. He sighed and stepped back.

"Kanan! I think I found something!" Sabine called.

He jogged over and saw what she'd found. It was hard to see, buried in the snow. They dug it up and found a piece of a torn bandage, which was stained red and crumpled. The snow around it was pinkish red too,"

"I've seen this before. It was around Ezra's leg earlier," the Jedi murmured. He looked up. "We're close,"

Then, Kanan saw something that filled him with hope.

"Look! Footprints! They look pretty fresh," he mused excitedly.

"Follow them! Before the snow covers them!" the Mandalorian shouted, taking off.

Kanan followed close behind. The two soon crested a large hill and saw what looked like a mound of snow. Then, they saw the metal underneath.

"Is that the…," Sabine trailed off.

"The _Hawkwind_ ," Kanan finished.

They ran down to the ship, and he pulled out his com.

"Search teams 2 and 3, we found them. I repeat, we found 'em," he reported.

" _Acknowledged. Send us your coordinates and we'll be right there_ ," Hera said.

Kanan pulled out his tracker and sent his coordinates to the others as they began to scour the ship.

"Kanan! They're over here!" Sabine called from the other side of the ship. He ran around to see her kneeling in front of the sleeping teens. He couldn't help but smile at them, his Padawan having snuggled into a blanket and curled against Aris, who had her arms wrapped around him.

"Kanan, he's in a bad way. He's hypothermic, but feverish at the same time. He isn't breathing right either," Sabine said. They heard thrusters overhead and a shadow appeared over them. They looked up to see the Ghost.

Aris stirred, opening her eyes. Her purple locked with Sabine's chocolate.

"Sabine? Wh—Sabine!" she exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" the older girl asked.

"Yeah. Hey, can you get the stuff out of the cave over there? Ezra will need it. An oxygen tank and food," she said.

"Got it. Kanan! There's some stuff in that cave over there," she called to the Jedi. He was talking to Hera.

"On my way! You know what to do," he told her. He took off, casting a fleeting glance at his Padawan's sleeping form.

The Twi'lek nodded. She headed for the Ghost, meeting up with the two soldiers in the med-bay.

"We need a stretcher and blankets," she said, grabbing the two thermoses she'd prepared. They were filled with warm hot chocolate. The two soldiers saluted.

"Roger that!" one said, moving to collect the needed items.

She took the blankets and left the ship. She ran down the small valley to the wreckage and knelt by the three teenagers.

"Here Aris, drink this," she said, handing her the thermos. She began to drink and she sighed happily. Hera took the parka off her shoulders and replaced it with the blanket before once again wrapping it around her. Then, she gently moved Ezra over so that he was leaning on the side of the ship. She wrapped the second blanket around his shoulders, adding to the warmth of the other one. She patted his cheek.

"Ezra, sweetheart, can you hear me?" she murmured.

His eyelids fluttered before opening halfway.

"Hera? Wh…," he trailed off sleepily. Kanan had been right. He really was in a bad way.

"Stay with me Ezra. Drink," she ordered.

He complied, sipping the cocoa and letting the warmth spread through his stomach and chest. He wasn't warm again yet, but at least he wasn't frozen solid. He heard crunching footsteps and a shadow was cast over him. He looked up to see Kanan. The older man knelt down in front of him.

"Hey Padawan. How ya doing?" he asked sincerely.

"Ngh," Ezra replied.

Kanan laughed, rubbing his shoulder.

"You're gonna be fine, okay?" he told him. Ezra smiled.

"Aris, what happened to his leg? And his head…you know what? How about you just tell me how you found him," Hera said.

Aris nodded. "H-he was pinned under a panel from the ceiling in the cockpit. I think he hit his head on the dash. When I got him out, I saw that he had a shard of glass in his leg. I managed to get it out," she told them.

Hera inclined her head in affirmation. The two rebel soldiers came out with the stretcher. As they got Ezra situated onto it, Hera continued to question Aris.

"What about your cheek?"

"Wampa. It swiped me once, no big deal," she affirmed.

She saw Ezra put the thermos down and inhale sharply. She moved over to him quickly and sat him straight up. Hera tried to stop her until he broke into another coughing fit. Their alarm only intensified when blood began to trickle down his chin. Hera knew this either meant a raw throat or internal injuries and she hoped it was the former or they were in trouble. They got the oxygen mask situated and they began to move. He looked up at Kanan and mouthed the words 'thank you'. He found it easier to breathe, though he was still wheezing badly. As the lights of the Ghost's halls began to run overhead, he let his eyes slip closed, knowing he was in the safe, comforting hands of his family.

* * *

 **Thought I was gonna end it there, didn't you? Well...YOU THOUGHT WRONG MOFOS!**

* * *

Aris sipped her cocoa again for what felt like the millionth time. The thermos seemed endless. Sabine stared at his face intently as though Ezra might disappear if she looked away for too long.

"You really care about him, don't you?" she asked.

Sabine glanced at her before returning her vigilant gaze to the teen lying on the bed, IV dripping into his arm, the constant beeping of the heart monitor, and the whooshing of the respirator.

"He's family. He's been like a brother to me," she answered.

"There's something more there," Aris prodded.

Sabine blushed. "How can you tell?" she whispered.

"I'm a girl too Sabine. We've kind of got a sixth sense for these things," the younger girl replied.

"He's in love with you Aris. I'm not going to get in your way. He gave up on me a long time ago, and I'm happy he found someone like you," she explained.

"I know how you feel. Exactly how you feel. When I was thirteen, this kid would hit on me all the time, and I would turn him down because I didn't know how to feel. When I finally did decide, he'd moved on, found a girl of his own. Even though I'd fallen for him, I was happy for them. They've been living in a flat together for two years now," she said.

"That does sound a lot like Ezra and I," Sabine mused. "So, what are you gonna do now? Wait for a shuttle to come and pick you up?"

Aris smiled. "Actually, I've been thinking about sticking around. There's a spare bunk in your room, right? Besides, I don't want to leave Ezra here to recover by himself. N-not that you guys are incapable of caring for him I-," she started.

"Oh god, there's two of them," Sabine said.

Aris sighed in exasperation.

"So, what happened down there? He was all snuggled up to you," the elder teen teased, waggling her eyebrows.

Aris blushed madly. "H-he was in so much pain, so I…I sang to him. That's all," she answered hurriedly.

Sabine grinned. "He always did like music. He would never admit it, but I swear I heard him humming once while he was cleaning the dishes. He whistles a lot, too," she giggled.

Aris laughed. "You know what, Sabine? You're okay," she complimented.

"You too," the other girl returned.

And so, they talked to each other, sharing stories and ideas. They had so much in common it was uncanny. Their love for art and color, especially oranges and reds. She didn't, however, share Sabine's love for purple. Even though she hadn't ever lived on Mandalore, her father had made certain that she loved art, and she did. They both enjoyed music. They even exchanged a few songs, as Sabine was accustomed to Mandalorian music and Aris to Corellian. They both had a certain appreciation for weaponry, and explosives. They became fast friends, bonding as they waited for news on the boy who lay on the bed before them.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Ah, there's the nice and peaceful ending we've needed for oh, I don't know, the last seven chapters?**

 **Ezra: Err, Dragon, don't you think that maybe, just maybe, you should let Disclaimer breathe?**

 **Disclaimer: *gasping for air* I second that!**

 **Me: *releases from headlock* This isn't over.**

 **Disclaimer: *out of breath* I'm well aware of that.**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	10. Chapter 9: Dying Light

Chapter 9: Dying Light

 **Me:** ***inhales and exhales deeply*** **Ahh, sweet peace.**

 **Disclaimer: *pops up* Hi!**

 **Me: *eyes snap open* *deadpan* Oh no.**

 **Disclaimer: *innocently* What?**

 **Me: You know what? I'm just gonna go…hang out with the crew in an undisclosed location so….*runs***

 **Disclaimer: *chases*** **YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE ME DRAGON!** ***in distance*** **DRAGON OWNS NOTHING!**

* * *

Ezra let his eyes slide open and light flooded his vision. It hurt his eyes for a moment, but he slowly adjusted. He could hear laughter and chatter, backed by the slow, steady beeping of a heart monitor. The room smelled like it always did, of disinfectant and the scent of clean that he couldn't quite name. He glanced around and spotted Sabine and Aris joking about something.

"What's so funny?" he murmured. The two girls looked up.

Sabine ran over and hugged him. "Ez, you're awake!" she exclaimed happily. Aris let them have their moment.

"You know it takes more than a little snow to keep me down," he joked.

They both knew he was lying through his teeth, but Sabine still smiled. It quickly turned to a concerned frown when he let out a hacking cough and groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Aris, go find Hera and tell her that Ezra's awake, and that he's coughing," she ordered.

The younger girl nodded and practically disappeared. Sabine reached for his forehead. She hissed and jerked back like she'd been burned. She might as well have, with the head emanating from his skin in waves. Hera and Aris showed up in the doorway a few minutes later to find her laying a cool, wet rag on his forehead.

"Aris, get me the thermometer. Sabine, get the fever reducers out of the cabinet above the sink," the Twi'lek barked.

Sabine rushed to the cabinet, rummaging through the various medical supplies in search of the requested meds. When she found the box, she peered inside and was met with a frightening sight.

"Hera, we're almost out. These'll only last us a day, tops!" she cried, pulling out the two vials.

Hera slammed her hand, which she'd balled into a fist, into a small metal table sitting nearby.

"Dammit. Damn it all, why is it always him!?" she growled angrily.

"Here's the thermometer Hera," Aris said, handing her the little electronic device.

Hera took it gently and placed it under Ezra's tongue. They waited tensely in silence for a moment before it beeped. She snatched it quickly and looked at it. Her eyes took on a horrified look.

"Not good. _Definitely_ not good," she whispered in distress.

"Hera?" Aris tried.

"105. It's 105. If it gets more than two degrees higher, we might lose him," she murmured, her voice laced with terror.

Aris and Sabine exchanged scared glances. They'd both paled. Ezra, on the other hand, was a little less than lucid, but he heard every word. But at the moment, he was focusing _really_ hard on trying not to throw up, and continuing to breathe at the same time.

* * *

Hera monitored her charge's vitals closely. They didn't look good. His vitals were those of a dying person. And that's what he was doing:

Dying.

The worst part of it was, the boy was still conscious, which meant he was suffering. _A lot_.

Ezra had never begged for unconsciousness in his life. But now, he was praying for the sweet release of darkness. But he felt like dying. And he didn't want to die this way, helpless in a med-bay. So he fought it. But death was inevitable, as was unconsciousness. His vision ebbed away slowly as he passed out, his eyes drooping. He tried to force them open again, but they soon closed. But it wasn't dark this time. Instead, he was standing amidst the tan fields of grass and huge hills that so clearly belonged to Lothal, and all was peaceful. He knew instantly that he wasn't awake.

* * *

Hera nearly leapt out of her skin when the slow and steady beeping of the heart monitor sped up, before the room was filled with a long, ominous whine. She dove for the crash cart and the defibrillator. She removed Ezra's shirt and the oxygen mask. That whine meant only one thing:

Ezra's heart had stopped.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Dun, dun, DUN!**

 **Disclaimer: *rolls eyes* Ezra and Dragon sittin' in a tree…**

 **Me: You are SO DEAD! *lunges at***

 **Disclaimer: *runs* Ahh, much better!**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	11. Chapter 10: Go Home

Chapter 10: Go Home

 **Me: *sighs, dusting hands* Much better, huh?**

 **Disclaimer: *squirms, trying to get out of ropes, mumbling past gag***

 **Me: What? *removes it***

 **Disclaimer: K-I-S-S—**

 **Me: *puts gag back on* Guess I'm doing Disclaimer's job today! I don't own Star Wars Rebels. Let's carry on!**

* * *

Kanan let out a scream, shooting bolt upright in his bunk. The pain was crushing him, worse than it had during Order 66. The last time he'd felt this bad, Master Billaba had been shot in the chest. He sprang to his feet and ran for the med-bay.

"Hera what-," he stopped short when he saw her standing over a shirtless Ezra with the paddles of the defibrillator in hand. She pulled the triggers, and he watched as he bucked on the bed.

The Twi'lek looked at the heart monitor, biting her lip when she saw the flat glowing line jump, then begin to waver up and down.

"Kanan, he's in v-fib and he's not breathing!" she cried.

He ran over and hesitated. "Hera, his ribs…," he reminded.

She took less than five seconds to decide.

"Screw it. Start chest compressions!" she ordered.

Kanan pounced, starting CPR. He tilted Ezra's mouth open and pinched his nose shut. He breathed precious oxygen into his Padawan's lungs. He heard Hera move behind him.

"Move," she said.

He stepped back and saw her holding a syringe. She plunged it into his chest.

"Adrenaline," she explained, pressing down on the trigger with her thumb.

* * *

Ezra wandered through the empty Capital City streets. He heard voices echoing through the alleyways. They sounded upset and scared.

' _I wonder why'_ he thought.

"They're scared for you, young one," a voice said from behind him. He whirled around to face a man with long black and gray hair and a beard. To his left was a blue Twi'lek and to his right a bald man. They all had lightsabers attached to their belts.

"Wh-who are you?" he asked.

"The fallen," the Twi'lek said.

"But you're Jedi. I thought you became one with the Force when you died," Ezra said, confused.

"We did. But many of us help the Jedi that die and become one with the Force," the bald man answered.

"S-so I'm dead?" the boy squeaked.

"Not yet. The voices you hear? It's your friends trying to save you. Trying to bring you back," the Twi'lek told him.

"What are your names?" he asked.

"It is not important right now Ezra Bridger," she told him.

"How do you know my-,"

"You must go back. Go home," the man with the black hair said.

"How do I do that?" he inquired.

"Use the Force Ezra," the bald man ordered.

Then, the three vanished. Ezra pondered what they had said. He sighed and sat down, crossing his legs and putting his arms on his lap. He closed his eyes.

* * *

"CLEAR!" Hera called.

Kanan backed away and Hera pulled the triggers. Sabine was holding onto Aris, who was sobbing into her shoulder, while holding back tears herself. Zeb was standing nearby, ears flattened against his head. Chopper refused to look.

Ezra jolted on the bed. They watched closely.

"Come on Ez…," Sabine murmured.

The heart monitor started again and the reen drew in a shuddering breath.

Aris let out a half-sigh, half-sob and collapsed against a wall. Sabine and Zeb hugged each other, and Chopper let out a whoop of joy. Hera and Kanan looked exhausted, sweaty and panting heavily. And they were.

"Don't celebrate yet. He's not out of the woods," the Twi'lek reminded them.

The others nodded, but that didn't stop them from smiling.

* * *

The sunny fields of Lothal were replaced by the darkness he knew all too well.

' _At least I'm not dead,'_ he thought.

He wondered about those Jedi he'd met. What were their names? Had Kanan known them? How had they died? There were a million questions he wished he could have asked them. Some he could ask Kanan. Others would most likely linger in his mind forever without an answer. Some would be asked but go unresponded to, answers dangling just out his reach. Then, there was the minority that would be answered by Kanan with a "what do you think?" He hated that. He knew that his master was trying to help him learn by doing it, but he was fed up with it. But that was the great thing about family. No matter how much you got on each other's nerves, you still loved each other. Then there was Aris. What would happen now? Would she stay? Would she return to her mother, buy a new ship and fly solo again? The only thing he knew for sure was that he loved her. He loved her with all his heart and he would guard her with his life. He could only _hope_ that she felt the same.

* * *

Aris held his hand, which was less pale and more tan, but still clammy and sweaty. Her other hand rested on his forehead, rubbing small circles on his hairline with her thumb and messing around with his bangs, which had stuck to his face due to the sweat. He was breathing with some difficulty, and she could hear a distinct rattle behind the wheeze. She prayed that didn't mean that something was obstructing his airway or that there was water in his lungs. She brought his hand to her face and placed a gentle kiss on his fingers, flattening his hair against his head as she pet him.

"Ez? I don't know if you can hear me, but…I hope you can because, I need you to listen. You _have_ to get better. I don't care how long it takes, or how much it costs, but you _have_ to get better. I-I don't know what I'd do without you. Huh, you really have a way with people, don't you? Two and a half days and I already can't live without you," she mused, running her fingers through his hair, combing out the tangles that had manifested in the raven locks. She was still cold, and the med-bay was a little chilly in an attempt to cool Ezra off. She didn't think she'd ever get warm again though. She'd finished her cocoa off a while ago. She heard the door his open and saw Hera standing there with a tray of food. A bowl of steaming soup caught her fancy.

"Thought you might be hungry," she said, handing her the tray.

She grabbed the spoon and dug into the soup. It was some kind of meat mixed in with vegetables and noodles, finished off with a hearty broth. Whatever it was, it was delicious. Warmth blossomed in her chest and stomach.

"Mmm. Delicious. If this is what dinner tastes like around here then I'm definitely sticking around," she chuckled, abandoning the spoon and drinking the broth along with some of the meat, noodles, and vegetables.

"Woah, slow down kiddo. You'll choke," the Twi'lek warned.

Aris complied, setting the bowl back on the tray and setting the tray on a little metal table.

"So, you're staying?" Hera asked.

"I mean, only if it's okay with you," she replied.

"Of course it is. We already have soldiers making adjustments to the extra bunk in Sabine's room," she told her.

"Wait, she already asked you about that?" she inquired.

Hera nodded. "She's pretty excited about having another girl on the crew," she giggled. "We're landing on Alderaan to get some supplies and try to find some fever reducers. Don't know if we'll have much luck though. They're dealing with the outbreak of a pretty nasty bug. Speaking of…," she trailed off, moving to the counter and picking up the half empty vial. Half a vial filled one syringe and one syringe lasted two hours. She stuck an empty syringe into the small hole in the top and emptied the vial into the syringe. She expelled the air from it before injecting the medication into his IV port.

"That should keep his fever at bay, for at least a little while," she said.

"Hera, if we don't get more fever reducers, how long will he last?" Aris inquired.

Hera sighed. "A day. At most two. But all those reducers do is buy him time. The rest is up to him. And the breathing treatments of course. Now-," a beeping alarm cut her off. Hera sprang into action.

"What's going on? What's happening?" Aris exclaimed.

"He's not breathing,"

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: And again with the "Ezra's dying" cliffhanger!**

 **Disclaimer: Mmmf!**

 **Me: *sighs* What? *removes gag***

 **Disclaimer: -I-N-G! *pants***

 **Me: Aannnnd that's enough of that. *puts gag back on***

 **-SWMCDC227**


	12. Chapter 11: Out of Time

Chapter 11: Out of Time

 **Me: Now…are you going to behave?**

 **Disclaimer: *nods resignedly* Yes ma'am.**

 **Me: Good. Don't make me do that again. While I quite enjoyed it, I doubt it was very fun for you.**

 **Disclaimer: It wasn't. I feel so bad for Blueberry right now. Poor kid. I couldn't imagine losing my parents like that.**

 **Me: But…you can. I don't mean to be rude, but didn't you lose yours when you were thirteen?**

 **Disclaimer: Huh…I guess I** _ **can**_ **relate to Ezra. Oh well! Dragon owns nothing!**

* * *

The crew stood in a circle around the hologram of Organa. It had been three hours since they'd arrived on Alderaan, and one since they'd left. Though they were now ready to house Aris, Ezra, at the same time, had been slowly deteriorating. Just as Hera had predicted, due to the virus epidemic, they had been unable to spare any reducers. Now, it was just a matter of finding someone to supply them with the medication. Aris was the only one not present, having stayed with her boyfriend.

"Senator, while I understand you are dealing with a dangerous sickness, we are in desperate need of medical supplies. Do you know of _any other place_ where we can find reducers?" Hera begged.

"I do. But it will cost you a lot. There is a black market dealer on Tatooine who sells all kinds of goods. Food, medical supplies, even information. And that's just scratching the surface. Sending coordinates now," he replied.

There was a light _ping_ as they received the location.

"Thank you, Senator," Sabine said gratefully.

The man nodded in acknowledgement. "You are welcome. Good luck my friends," he returned.

The hologram vanished, leaving the crew with their much needed information and now, the feeling of hope.

* * *

Aris held back tears as she watched over the older teen, crossing her arms and resting them on the bed next to him. The respirator had been replaced by a ventilator. Ezra couldn't breathe on his own. Hera had recently confirmed her suspicions. She'd realized it on Hoth. Back then, he'd been bordering on pneumonia. Now, he had it. And it was _bad._ Without the reducers, Ezra would start seizing. Once the fever reached over 110, his body would start shutting down. According to the monitor above her, it was hovering dangerously between 105 and 106. She felt so helpless. A type of survivors' guilt lingered, too. She'd been in the same position, and yet she was fine, while he lay dying on a bed. She knew it wasn't her fault, but it just wasn't fair. She yawned, eyes drooping. Her head dropped onto her arms as the constant _hiss-pop_ of the ventilator lulled her into a much needed slumber.

* * *

Sabine tightened her belt around the tail of her purple sleeveless shirt, and adjusted her khaki shorts. Kanan, meanwhile, exchanged his long sleeves and shoulder armor for a green tank top and shorts. They met in the hallway by the _Phantom_.

"Okay. You ready?" he asked her.

"Yep. You?" she returned.

"Mmhm," he answered.

They climbed into the little ship and detached from the _Ghost_. They flew down to the sandy surface of Tatooine and stepped out into the hot, dry air.

"Whew! I always swore I'd never go to Tatooine. Or Hoth for that matter. Guess I was wrong," Sabine breathed.

"Suppose so kid. Now let's go find that dealer," he said.

The two ventured into the city, looking around. They spotted a boy with blonde hair and a white tunic.

"Hey kid!" Kanan called.

The teenager jogged over to them. He couldn't have been a day younger than Ezra.

"What do you need sir?" he asked.

"I need to know where I can find…," he glanced at the information on his datapad. "Ross Diesel?"

The boy froze. "Ross? You're not ISB agents, are you?" he inquired skeptically.

"No. Can you take us to him? It's _really_ important," Sabine pleaded.

"Okay. My name is Luke, by the way. Luke Skywalker,"

It was Kanan's turn to freeze. "Skywalker? Any relation to Anakin Skywalker?"

"He was my dad. He died before I was born. I don't really like to talk about it," he answered.

The older man nodded and continued following him in silent thought. So Master Skywalker was dead? He vowed to never tell _anyone_ about his discovery. If this boy was here, then he was sure it was for a reason. The group arrived at an old abandoned house. Luke pushed the door open and pointed at a rotting wooden trapdoor.

"He's down there. I gotta get home. See ya!" he said quickly, bounding off. Kanan had the feeling that wasn't the only reason he had fled.

The two climbed down the rickety old ladder, and were surprised when their feet his stone.

"Who's there?" a voice questioned. It sounded distinctly female, and there was a slight drawl to it.

"We mean you no harm! We need your help!" Sabine said.

A young girl no more than thirteen years old appeared from behind a stack of crates, blaster trained on the duo. The two rebels threw up their hands in surrender.

"Who are you?" she pressed.

"I'm Kanan Jarrus, and this is Sabine Wren," he began, gesturing to the Mandalorian. "We're looking for Ross Diesel,"

"Ross? He's not here," she said, adjusting her grip on the blaster.

"Do you know where he is?" Sabine questioned.

"Why? You gonna try and rob him or somethin'?" she retorted, shoving the blaster's barrel towards them a few inches, making the two flinch.

"Look, my…my son is really sick. All we need is a box of fever reducers," Kanan said hesitantly.

The girl gulped, hand trembling.

" _Please_ ," he begged.

Her expression softened at his desperate tone, letting the blaster fall to her side.

"He's in the marketplace. He'll be back in an hour, but I can go get him if you want," she said sympathetically.

"That would be ideal. He's running out of time," Sabine said.

The younger girl nodded and ran past them, practically jumping up the ladder.

Sabine snorted. Kanan looked at her.

"What?"

"Your son?" she repeated incredulously.

Kanan blushed. "It was the best thing I could come up with," he grumbled.

"Why not friend?" she suggested.

"I wouldn't have gotten that much sympathy for a friend," he told her.

She rolled her eyes. It took all of ten minutes for the girl and a man around Kanan's age, but burlier and bald. He took the pair in. They were complete opposites, with the girl being at least two feet shorter. And she was only a few inches shorter than Ezra, who stood at five feet tall. He was short for his age. The man, who he assumed was Ross, had light gray eyes and a grayish black moustache and beard, and his skin was tanned. The girl, on the other hand, was a pale apricot, with freckles dotting her flushed cheeks. Her eyes were a light blue, almost like ice, and her hair was long and ginger. She'd tied it back, yet it still hung to the middle of her back from high on her head. She still had her blaster in hand. She stuck her finger in the trigger guard and twirled it in a circle before holstering it.

"What is it that you folks want?" Ross asked, the drawl much more distinct in his deep voice.

"Fever reducers. A box at least," Sabine answered.

He whistled. "That'll cost you little miss. Those are high in demand out here, what with Tatooine being so hot and all," he warned.

"How much?" Kanan asked.

"At least eighty credits," Ross replied.

"EIGHTY!? THAT'S-," Sabine started.

Kanan turned and pointed at her. "I need you to shut. Up," he ordered.

She looked stunned. Kanan had never spoken to her like that. Come to think of it, he'd never spoken like that to _anyone_ before. Kanan withdrew a bag of credits and dropped it on the crate next to him.

"There's a hundred in there. How much can it get us?" he inquired.

"A box of reducers and a few ration packs," Ross answered.

"We'll take it," he said quickly.

Ross nodded and took the bag. He put a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Esther, keep an eye on our friend here. You, come with me," he said, pointing at Sabine.

She flinched, before looking to Kanan for approval. The older man nodded and she followed after him. Kanan turned to the girl, whose name he now knew to be Esther.

"So, Esther, you handle a blaster well. See if you can take this beauty," he said, handing her his.

"Woah! I've never seen one this awesome before," she mused, making Kanan chuckle. They heard footsteps as she aimed at the wall.

"I don't think I'd be able to use one like it yet though. It seems really advanced," she said.

"Well, she's still the fastest draw in the city," Ross said, grabbing her from behind with his arm in a headlock. He gave her a noogie, much to her embarrassment.

"Daaad!" she groaned in exasperation.

Kanan looked at the pair incredulously. Ross caught the stare.

"She takes after her mother. Stubborn, but brave," he explained, releasing her neck, only to hug her.

Sabine handed him the ration packs.

"Now go on. Save your boy," he told him, not letting go of his daughter.

They nodded and started up the ladder.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: *wipes away tear* That was…*sniff*beautiful.**

 **Disclaimer: *sniffles* It really was!**

 **(Guys, a few things. Next chapter has a profanity warning, but I recommend you read it. Lots of feels. Also, when I went to type Esther the first time, I ended up typing Ezra, without realizing it. Crazy, huh?)**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	13. Chapter 12: Lullaby

Chapter 12: Lullaby

 **Me: Well, here it comes. The most profane thing I will ever post on a fanfiction. Probably.**

 **Disclaimer: She isn't kidding. She doesn't own anything either.**

* * *

Hera pushed down on the trigger, emptying the last of the reducers into Ezra's IV port. Despite their best efforts, his fever had risen to 106.5. With every half a degree, he drew closer to death. He'd had a seizure ten minutes ago, and she feared they would have to tie him to the bed. It pained her to see him like this, pale as a ghost and hooked up to machines. Soon, he would need life support. Despite it all, the sight of Aris fast asleep, holding Ezra's hand still brought a tired smile to her face. She'd moved the girl into a bed near Ezra's, and she'd barely stirred. Suddenly, the other teen made a gagging noise, ad Hera had to rush to disconnect the ventilator. She rested Ezra's cheek on a small basin as he threw up. Soon, it turned to dry heaves. Once the fit was over, she reconnected the machine and all was quiet again. She patted his shoulder gently.

"Hang in there Ezra. You've got to," she murmured.

* * *

Kanan and Sabine were stopped by a loud commotion. The sight made Sabine sick. A man was kicking a young boy around. She shoved the reducers into Kanan's arms, and he fumbled to keep from dropping them.

"Sabine!" he shouted as she ran towards them.

"Hey! What's going on here?!" she yelled.

"Mind your own business," the man slurred. The smell of alcohol was prominent in his breath.

"You're beating the living hell out of an innocent child. Kind of makes it my business," she said.

"Innocent my ass. Little fuckin' thief," he spat, raising his hand to land another blow. She grabbed his wrist and he spun on his heel, albeit shakily, and cracked her across the face with the back of his hand. _Hard._ She fell to the ground, stunned.

"I told you to mind your own goddamned business, you little bitch!" he shouted, taking a drunken swing at her. She rolled to the side and moved behind him. She jumped and kicked him in the back. He hit the sand with a thud. Two Stormtroopers ran up.

"What's going on here?" one asked, echoing Sabine's words from earlier.

"This asshole was knocking a kid around," she answered.

"We'll handle this. Move along," the other said.

"I'll get you for this, you whore!" the man yelled.

She ignored him, and moved to the kid, helping the boy to his feet.

"Thanks miss!" he said gratefully, taking off.

She returned to Kanan.

"You alright?" he inquired.

"I've had worse," she replied. The two continued on to the _Phantom_.

* * *

Hera looked up when she heard the sound of a ship docking. She ran for the hall and met them there.

"Thank god. I was starting to lose hope," she sighed. She stopped when she saw the bruise that crested Sabine's cheek. "Sabine, what-,"

"Worry about Ezra. We'll talk about it later," she said.

"But…," the Twi'lek started.

"HERA! HIS TEMP'S UP ANOTHER DEGREE!" Zeb yelled.

Hera snatched the reducers from Kanan and took off, leaving him stunned, hands frozen around an invisible box.

* * *

Hera gave Ezra another dose of antibiotics. Three days ago, he looked like he could break if she touched him. Ezra was nowhere _near_ in the clear yet, but his fever had fallen a degree and a half the night before, and it held steady at 106. His face was still pale, but no longer as ghostly as it had been. His cheeks were rosy, one of the tell-tale signs of the war being waged against the infection. They'd been able to settle his stomach. Sabine stared intensely at the IV as it dripped into his arm, supplying him with fluids, and Hera was worried she might sear a hole in it. Aris, who had woken up early the previous morning, now sat with her head resting against Sabine's shoulder, fighting the sleep that burned her eyes. She yawned, drawing attention from the older girl. Sabine moved her hand to rest over her shoulders and gently pet her hair. Hera was proud of her. Sabine would have been an excellent sister and maybe, one day, when all of this was over, a mother. But for now, playing Aris and Ezra's "big sister" figure would have to do. The girl began to sing. Hera recognized it as a fairly common lullaby.

 _[Play "I See Fire"]_

Hera joined in after a while but didn't let it distract her from her work. Aris soon let her eyes slip closed, and fell limp against Sabine. She, too, was having trouble staying awake and her singing tapered off, leaving only Hera.

Once she had finished singing, she sighed, feeling nostalgic. She hadn't heard that song for a long, long time. She looked to Sabine and Aris, smiling. Aris' head rested against Sabine's shoulder, and Sabine's rested on the younger girl's. Both were fast asleep and snoring softly. She moved over and picked up Aris, carrying her to her room and laying her on the top bunk. She moved Sabine, too. When she returned to check on Ezra, however, she was surprised to see two tired, glazed, electric blue eyes blinking up at her.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: FEEELS! TOO MUCH FEELS! *faints***

 **Disclaimer: Uh oh. *picks up phone and dials number* Hello? 911? Oh, hello Clara. Yes, she is suffering from another fangirl attack. How soon can one get here? Five minutes? Okay, great. Talk to you later.**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	14. Chapter 13: Peace

Chapter 13: Peace

 **Me: Ahhh, winter break. And the story is drawing to a close soon! Just one more chapter after this.**

 **Disclaimer: But don't worry she's got three other stories coming up. One of them is…**

 **Me: *puts hand over mouth* No spoilers!**

 **Disclaimer: Mmm. Mmf! *bites hand***

 **Me: OW! Okay, that's it! *lunges***

 **Disclaimer: Oh shit! *runs away***

* * *

Ezra's eyes snapped open. The room was empty. He tried to breathe, but an alarm beeped. He stopped trying, and the alarm silenced. He realized he was on a ventilator. He heard the door hiss open and looked up to see Hera standing there. The two locked eyes. She was stunned. With what little strength he had, he lifted his fingers in a half-hearted wave. She smiled warmly.

"Hello dear," she greeted, walking over to him.

With the vent keeping him from talking, he could only give a slight nod.

"Guess you don't need that anymore, huh?" she asked.

Ezra shook his head eagerly.

Hera grabbed it.

"On the count of three, I need you to cough, alright?" she said.

He nodded.

"Okay. One, two, three!" she counted.

Ezra did as he was told, and he was free of the intrusive machine. But coughing once sent him into a fit. Once he'd settled, Hera freed him of the restraints on his wrists and ankles, which guarded against seizures.

"How do you feel?" she inquired.

"Hungry," he rasped, voice hoarse. His throat was raw and scratchy from lack of water and use.

"Good. That's great, Ezra," she said. "You need some water?"

He nodded quickly and Hera moved to the sink. She ran cool water into a cup and grabbed a straw. She walked back to her charge and angled the straw into his mouth.

Ezra drank the sweet, cool liquid, savoring the hydration and letting it soothe his throat. He frowned when she took it away.

"Why'd you take it?" he whined, voice smoother than before.

"Drink too much too fast and you'll make yourself throw up," she replied. "I'll be back with something for you to eat in a minute. Don't go anywhere," she said, heading out.

"Oh ha ha!" he called weakly.

Ezra became bored quickly, flicking the bedsheets and counting the screws in the wall panels. The door opened again and this time, Sabine stood there. She looked tired.

"I heard you singing earlier. It sounded nice," he complimented in a murmur.

She beamed at him, running over and hugging him gently.

"You had me _so worried_ ," she whispered. Her voice cracked.

"Are you crying?" he asked, his free arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"No. I'm just allergic to you, doofus," she joked, pulling away. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. But she was smiling.

His own smile turned to a frown, his face full of concern. She was confused for a moment until he reached up and gently traced his fingers along the hand-shaped bruise on her cheek.

"Who did this?" he questioned in a soft whisper.

She bit her lip. "Some drunken idiot on Tatooine. It's nothing," she said quickly.

Ezra's frown turned into a knowing scowl. He'd dealt with drunks before, especially doing jobs for Old Jho like he did before he'd met the crew. He used to work as a bartender for credits, as Jho was the only one who agreed to hire him. But he'd quit a year later after a drunken thief beat him within an inch of his life for a few credits.

"Put some ice on it, or at least a bacta patch, if we've got any," he said.

"We don't but good idea anyway," she chuckled.

Ezra smiled and gripped her wrist.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?" she asked innocently.

"For being there. For caring. For being my big sister," he answered sincerely.

Sabine teared up again, and he hugged her, ignoring the slight protest from his ribs. He heard the door open again, but he didn't care. Right now, all he cared about was his big sister.

Hera watched on in silent awe as the two bonded. She stayed out of it.

The two separated and Sabine sniffed. She smiled at him.

"You're welcome," she said.

"Still hungry?" Hera asked.

"Yes please," Ezra replied eagerly.

While the food wasn't gourmet, it wasn't _terrible_. He could tell it wasn't Hera's cooking, but at least it wasn't Kanan's.

* * *

Ezra lay on the bed, his fever having dropped to 100 in the few days he'd been in the med-bay of the blockade runner.

"Breathe. In…and out," Kanan instructed.

"I feel like we're meditating again," he replied in exasperation.

The older man chuckled. "Just do it Ezra," he said.

The teen sighed, then pushed himself higher in his bed. He breathed deeply, then exhaled, repeating the process again and again for fifteen minutes.

"Okay. You're doing great," Kanan praised, taking the mask off of his Padawan. It was hard to believe that just the day before, the fifteen year-old had been at death's door. Then again, it seemed to be his favorite hobby, cheating death.

"I just wanna get outta here. It's so dull and boring. I miss the _Ghost_ ," he complained.

"Don't worry kiddo. You'll be back on your feet in no time," he said, ruffling his young student's hair.

Ezra pretended to be mad, but his smile betrayed him.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Awww….**

 **Disclaimer: Owwwww…..**

 **Me: Shut up. Don't make me call the dog again.**

 **Disclaimer: Please, no!**

 **Me: Then SHUT UP!**

 **-SWMCDC227**


	15. Chapter 14: Epilogue

Chapter 14: Epilogue

 **Me: FINALLY!**

 **Disclaimer: DO NOT OWN! *rubs bandage on arm***

 **Me: That's what you get for biting me. Jerk.**

 **Disclaimer: Bitch.**

 **Me: Did you just mimic Dean?**

 **Disclaimer: Maybe.**

* * *

Aris sprayed the last touch of red around the edges of the painting.

"There! Done!" she exclaimed.

Sabine patted her on the back.

"Nice work," she complimented.

"Do you think he'll like it?" she asked.

The older girl smiled. "He'll love it," she said.

Aris grinned. They looked up at the subtle shaking of the _Ghost_ as the _Phantom_ docked.

"They're here!" the fifteen-year-old squealed happily, taking off.

Sabine chased after her. They reached the hallway in ten seconds flat. Kanan was just getting out of the ship. Ezra followed slowly, on crutches, as his leg was still weak.

"Hey handsome," Aris welcomed.

"Hi," he said, and they moved towards each other. They shared a kiss.

"What am I, invisible?" Sabine asked.

Ezra laughed. "Hi Sabi," he chuckled.

"Come on, we have to show you something," Aris said excitedly, helping him.

They moved to his door.

"Close your eyes," she commanded.

He complied, and they walked into the room. She turned him toward the wall and swallowed.

"Now open them,"

It was amazing. It was the crew, ready to fight. Ezra and Kanan stood back to back, lightsabers glowing brightly. Zeb stood to the side of Kanan, bo-rifle ignited. Hera stood to the side of Zeb, firing her blaster pistol. Next to Ezra was Sabine, firing her twins. And next to her was Aris. She had her blaster too, and a red bolt streaked from it. Chopper was presumably in the _Ghost_ , which soared high overhead. The whole painting was surrounded by and explosion of color, blues, greens, and purples mixing with yellows, oranges, and reds. Ezra wiped a tear from his cheek.

"This is…. _amazing_ ," he breathed.

"I try," Aris said smugly.

"I have a surprise for you too," Sabine said.

Aris looked confused. "What?"

Her roommate smiled. "Come on."

They followed her to their room.

"You know that secret project I've been working on? Well…,"

She yanked the tarp down off the wall. Aris gasped.

It was the two of them, standing together. She remembered the photo well, as she'd taken it a couple days after Ezra had left, and he'd been gone for about five. They'd been laughing and joking, and Sabine had looped her arm around Aris' shoulders, Aris doing the same. They were smiling, looking right at the camera, eyes twinkling. It was almost an exact replica, and Sabine had mimicked Aris' style of the explosion of color. Half of the painting, Aris' side was surrounded by Sabine's favorite colors, blues, greens, and purples, and the other half, Sabine's side, was surrounded by Aris', reds, yellows, and oranges.

"Woah," the younger girl deadpanned.

"I know. I'm awesome,"

The group broke into laughter.

All was back to normal in their home.

* * *

 **END**

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: And so ends our longest session of fluff and drama ever.**

 **Disclaimer: Are you still gonna post stuff? 'Cause if not I don't have a job.**

 **Me: Eventually, when I can.**

 **Disclaimer: Cool.**

 **-SWMCDC227**


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